Speech delivered by Dr.
Fidel Castro Ruz, President of the Republic of Cuba, at the foundation ceremony
of the ‘Henry Reeve’ International Contingent of Doctors Specialized in
Disaster Situations and Serious Epidemics, and the national graduation of
students of Medical Sciences, in the Ciudad Deportiva, onSeptember 19, 2005.

Newly graduated doctors of the 2004-5 course;

Members of the ‘Henry Reeve’ brigade;

Health professionals who have completed glorious
international missions;

Students in their fourth, fifth and sixth years at
the Faculties of Medical Sciences in the Capital;

Students of the LatinAmericanSchool of Medicine;

Young students of Nursing and Health Technology;

Professors, relatives and guests;

Compatriots:

The number of Latin American and Caribbean
students from countries in South, Central and North America graduating from the
Latin American School of Medicine, together with the young Cubans who graduate
here today, amounts to 3,515 new doctors who will be at the service of our
peoples and the world.

This figure will increase until ten thousand
doctors are graduated every year, to meet our commitment of training one
hundred thousand doctors from Latin America and the Caribbean in Cuba in ten
years, under the principles of ALBA, signed between Cuba and Venezuela, which
will contribute an equal number, in an unwavering attempt to integrate our
peoples.

Graduating as a doctor is like opening a
door to a long road leading to the noblest action that a human being can do for
others.

Although every person and every people has
the right to a healthy life and to enjoy the privilege of a long and useful
existence, the richest, most developed societies, ruled by consumerism and a
thirst for profit, have made the health service into a common business, inaccessible
to the poorest sectors of the population. In many Third World countries this service barely exists, and
between developed countries and the euphemistically called ‘developing
countries’ the differences are vast.

While statistics speak of developed
countries with child mortality rates lower than 10 for 1000 life births, and
some boast a life expectancy that reaches or surpasses 80 years of age, others,
such as many African countries, have to settle for child mortality rates of
over 100 for children under one year of age and often 150 for 1000 life births,
and a decreasing life expectancy rate that in some countries fluctuates between
30 and 40 years of age. While the world watches this happen, military spending
amounts to one trillion dollars every year, a figure only comparable to one
other absurd expense, that is, commercial publicity, which also equals one trillion.
Either of these sums, invested wisely year after year, would be more than
enough to ensure that all the people of the world lived a decent life.

Neither the climate nor genetic potential are
causing this tragedy. Cuba, a tropical country, with a hot and humid climate, a
favorable environment for viruses, bacteria and fungus, whose population is a
mixture of ethnicities, subjected to a cruel blockade and economic war for
almost half a century, has, despite all this, an infant mortality rate of less
than 6 for 1000 life births under one year of age, a rate that falls just below
that of Canada, and is headed towards 5 and maybe even less than 4 in the near future, which will put Cuba in
first place in the continent. Furthermore, it will take our country half the
time it took Sweden and Japan to raise life expectancy from 70 to 80
years, as it today stands at 77.5 years of age. Its medical services have
increased this expectancy by almost 18 years, from a rate of approximately 60
years at the time of the triumph of the Revolution in January 1959.

These words might sound presumptuous if it
were not possible to rightly describe our Homeland today as the country that
has done more than any other nation in the world to share its medical expertise
and experience with other peoples.

Not once, throughout the selfless history
of the Revolution, have our people failed to offer its supportive medical assistance
to other nations in need of this aid at times when catastrophes have hit them, regardless
of wide ideological and political differences, or the serious insults received from
the government of any of these countries.

Our concept of the humane condition of the
peoples and the duty of brotherhood and solidarity has never been, nor will
they ever be, betrayed.

Tens of thousands of Cuban doctors and
healthcare professionals stationed around the world are irrefutable proof of
what I am saying. For them, there will never be any language barriers,
sacrifice, danger or obstacles. It is now 43 years since Cuba sent its first brigade to Algeria, a country that had only just freed
itself from colonialism following a heroic struggle for independence.

After more than four decades, and with the
special period drawing to an end, the healthcare system has become the most
important sector in the exchange of goods and services between our country and
the rest of the world in economical terms; but despite this Cuba has not failed
to offer its medical assistance completely free of charge to more than 60 Third
World countries lacking economic resources. That is how it has always been and
how it always will be.

Nothing that I have said, however, can
match the Comprehensive Healthcare Programs created following the devastation
caused by Hurricane Mitch in Central America in 1998, which killed tens of thousands of children
and adults, mostly the poor and vulnerable.

We promised to send enough doctors to save
as many lives each year as were taken by the hurricane. At that time, almost
immediately afterwards, the Latin American School of Medicine, ELAM, was established. The comprehensive
program was extended to other nations in Latin America and the Caribbean and quickly reached many far away countries in Africa. Today, even East Timor, far away in Oceania, is included in the Cuban Comprehensive
Healthcare Program.

There are now 12,000 students at ELAM. Just two months ago the first 1,610
students graduated. Many Prime Ministers and senior officials from the region
attended that ceremony, among them was our close friend Hugo Chavez, President
of the BolivarianRepublic of Venezuela, a country to which we are bound by
indestructible historical ties and by the common struggle for the full
independence and integration of our peoples.

Both of us, in the name of the peoples of
Venezuela and Cuba, are deeply committed to supporting healthcare, literacy,
education, Mission Miracles, PETROCARIBE, ELECTROCARIBE, the struggle against
HIV and other important social and economic programs with a strong humane and
integration component in our region.

The enormous task of preserving and
restoring the sight to no less than six million people from Latin America and
the Caribbean, and of training 200 thousand healthcare professionals in 10
years, is completely unprecedented.

However, I am convinced that these
programs will be bettered. On June 30, it was suggested that Mission Miracle be
extended to other countries in the Caribbean. Today, 81 days later, I can say here that the
number of people from the Caribbean
who have undergone eye surgery is now 4,212 and the number of Venezuelan
brothers and sisters who have been operated on so far this year is 79,450,
which combine for a total 83,662 patients.

The great progress made in this field by
our country will reach other sister nations in our region by way of the young
professionals who are beginning to graduate from the Latin American School of
Medicine.

It is a fact that the medical assistance
given by Cuba and its scientific institutions to other
parts of the world is spreading rapidly in the interest of humanity. There is
nothing strange about the behavior of Cuba, which did not hesitate to offer the
people of the United States the immediate dispatch of experienced
doctors with the essential resources needed to administer emergency care to
people in mortal danger following a serious natural disaster. Also, our country
was closest to the area hit by the hurricane and was in the position to send
over human and material aid in a matter of hours. It was as if a big American
cruise ship with thousands of passengers aboard were sinking in waters close to
our coast.

We could not remain indifferent. No-one
would believe that this aid could be taken as an offence or a humiliation. Our
message was sent to the federal authorities of the United States just after Katrina, with her devastating
force, battered New Orleans. It hurts to think that maybe some of those
desperate people, trapped by the water and at death’s door, could have been
saved. It is a harsh lesson for those whose false pride and mistaken concepts
led them to decide not to respond, even belatedly, to our offer, which isn’t the
first time in these circumstances.

Some have tried to justify this behavior,
citing Cuba’s decision to reject the ridiculous financial offer of 50 thousand
dollars, which, due to obvious historical and moral reasons, in the midst of a
blockade which has cost tens of billions of dollars, as well as the harassment
and aggression of half a century that has cost the lives of thousands of
people, we had to reject. We didn’t offer money, we were offering to save
lives, and our offer still stands today and the next day, as it is and always will
be Cuba’s practice towards any country in the world.

We discussed this issue publicly because
on the long list of countries that offered help, the name of Cuba was omitted, which confused and even
startled many friends of our country around the world. We explained this on
September 2, three days after making our offer, specifying that we were
prepared to send 1,100 doctors by air, in a period of between 12 and 36 hours,
with 24 tons of essential medications in their backpacks; 48 hours went by, and
on September 4, that force already composed of 1,586 professionals and ready to
leave with 36 tons of medication, was meeting at the Convention Center where it
was given the name of ‘Henry Reeve’ Medical Force, in memory of that
exceptional young American combatant who died fighting for Cuba’s independence.

During the night of September 12, a press
release was delivered to the Granma newspaper and published the following day,where it was reported that the graduation of doctors from the 2004-5
course would take place at 5 pm onSeptember 19
in La Plaza de la Banderas in the Latin American School of Medicine.
But the weather forced us to change the venue. It was also reported, and I
quote, that:

“On this day a so far unprecedented organization
will be formed: the International Contingent of Doctors Specialized in Disaster
Situations and Serious Epidemics. This will take the place of the Medical Force
formed to help the people of the United States when Katrina hit the south of this
country with all its brutal force. Its aim will not just be to help a certain
nation, but to give immediate assistance, with its specially trained staff, to
any country that suffers a catastrophe, particularly those that are hit by
hurricanes, floods or other natural phenomena of this severity. It will carry
the same name as the Medical Force, formed as a response to the tragedy which
has just befallen the people of the United States, and that is ‘Henry Reeve’.”

By then, 14 days had gone by without any
reply to our offer.

During the night of Wednesday, September
14, I met again with all the members of that force, who were in the process of deepening
their knowledge, in order to inform them of the statement made by the Governor
of Louisiana, which had been received in Cuba that very same day, and the
message sent by Bruno Rodríguez, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, the content
of which I shall read out now, word for word, so that you may all know about it.

“Honorable Kathleen
Babineaux Blanco, Governor of the state of Louisiana.

“Madame Governor:

“We have carefully read your Executive Order No. KBB
2005-33 establishing the ‘Declaration of Public Health Emergency and Suspension
of In-State Licensure for Medical Professionals and Personnel Licensed
Out-of-State’, quoting that ‘… although scores of people have been rescued,
there are many more persons waiting for rescue, evacuation and medical
assistance, and many citizens have suffered or will suffer injury and/or
illness…’. The Declaration also states that ‘…the number of medical
professionals and personnel currently available to the state to respond to this
emergency are insufficient and there is a need to immediately supplement their
number in order to serve those affected by this disaster…’”

“I would like to communicate to you that the
necessary Cuban personnel, up to 1,586 qualified and experienced physicians,
carrying the appropriate medicines that the new circumstances may dictate, that
was offered to the United States to assist the population and relieve the
suffering of the victims of Hurricane Katrina, stands ready to fly immediately
to the State of Louisiana as soon as you have the corresponding authorization
from the federal authorities.

Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, a.i.”

Now, it is September 19, another five days
have passed and the federal authorities haven’t said a word. There is, therefore,
growing reason to believe that on this occasion the generous and timely offer
made by our people will not be accepted.

As the tragedy experienced by the world is
increasingly evident, we confirm today, September 19, 2005, the decision to create the ‘Henry Reeve’
Contingent. This brigade will be primarily composed of members of the current
force bearing this name. Successive members will be 200 volunteers from the
current graduation of doctors, 200 from the previous graduation of 2003-4, 600 students
in their sixth year of Medicine from the 2005-6 course, and 800 in their fifth year from this same course.
Later, others will follow. Nobody should feel left out.

The tens of thousands of specialists in
Comprehensive General Medicine, as well as Cuban Nursing graduates and healthcare
professionals who are presently on missions abroad, or who have completed them,
represent an infinite reserve for the ‘Henry Reeve’ Contingent.

Regardless of the knowledge that they have
as general practitioners, the youngest, or the specialists in Comprehensive
General Medicine, which will be the majority, or in other specialties, and
wherever they carry out their functions, be it in our country or another part
of the world, all members of the Contingent must posses a solid knowledge of
epidemiology and illnesses associated with catastrophes, and must master two of
the most common languages; be physically able and, depending on the case, have
the will and preparation necessary to be transferred quickly by different means
to the place where they are urgently needed. Young Latin American and Caribbean graduates of ELAM, including Americans studying there, may also
join this glorious organization, which is the first of its kind in the history
of humanity increasingly in need of cooperation and solidarity.

The ‘Henry Reeve’ Contingent can do more
than just help the population in the event of a hurricane, flood and other
similar natural disasters. Certain epidemics represent real natural and social
disasters. Suffice it to mention, the Hemorrhagic Dengue, which is attacking a
growing number of countries in Latin America, and whose symptoms are
particularly fatal to children, and other old and new grave illnesses. We can
and must find the most efficient ways to combat these diseases. There is a
particularly terrible epidemic –let’s call it that-- which has the world in its
grip: HIV, AIDS. It is threatening to wipe out entire nations and even vast
continental regions.

Cuba ranks highly on the world scale of countries
preventing and struggling against this disease. Looking at the rates that
prevail in this part of the world, it can be noted that some countries with an
average infestation rate, had in 2003 –the last year for published statistics--
an AIDS prevalence of 2.4%, 2.3%, 3.2% in the adult population aged between 15
and 49 years. I’m not mentioning any names for obvious reasons. In other
countries the infestation rate is much higher still. The lowest rate after Cuba is 0.6%. I’ll not say who that is either.
The rate in Cuba is 0.07%, that is to say, 8.6 times less
than in the country with the second lowest rate.

Our doctors, our scientists, our pharmacists,
and in particular the members of the ‘Henry Reeve’ Contingent, must know all
there is to know about AIDS, the most efficient ways to combat it, and above
all they should realize that these methods must be adapted to the specific
conditions of each country.

When the immensely rich developed nations
decide to truly cooperate with countries in Africa and other parts of the world in the struggle against
AIDS, they will need professionals like those in the ‘Henry Reeve’ Contingent.
It is then that the value of this action will be understood in all its
magnitude. The rich, developed states posses the financial capital, but they
don’t have the human capital. In order to avoid transmission from mother to
child, for example, it is necessary to perform a Caesarian section on the
mother; the mothers live in the villages and the doctors from the developed
world don’t go into the African villages, they have not been trained for that.

It is necessary to train the doctors
needed in the countryside, in the villages, in the poor and marginalized
neighborhoods of Third
World cities.
Even in extremely rich countries like the United States, tens of millions of Afro-Americans,
Indians, Latin American immigrants, Haitians and many others have no healthcare
programs or medical care.

We are offering to train professionals who
are prepared to struggle against death. We shall prove that there is a solution
to many of the planet’s tragedies. We are proving that man can and must better
himself. We are proving the value of conscience and ethics. We are offering
life.